Chapter 2
“Hospitalmein koi aur surgeon nahi hai kya..jab bhi Ashutosh ko call karta hoon who picknahi karta hai..hospital ko call karta hoon toh bolte hai ki woh OT mein hai…itni urgent baat karni thi usse”
“Kyahua..haaye Ram kiski tabiyat teekh nahi hai”
“Tumharemooh se kabhi kuch shubh nikla hai Leela?”
“Nahin..wohaap bol rahe the na ki Ashu se urgent kaam hai toh mein darr gayi”
“Usko kalhamare saath chacha ke ghar jaana hai..yeh batane ke liye mein usse phone karraha tha…tum bhi chaar baje tak ready ho jaana..aur haan kuch dhang ka pehenlena..mujhe pata hai ki tum fakiro ke ghar mein paida hui ho..duniya bhar meinuska dhindora peetne ki zaroorat nahi hai… hamare ghar ki samaj mein pratishthahai..prestige hai hamari…”
Leela wasused to these barbs… more than a decade of married life with Lalith Trehan madeher evolve from a sensitive girl to a woman who bore insults stoically.
“Hum kyunja rahein hai chachaji ke ghar? Saare tests toh hospital mein hothe hai… Chachihospital aati toh accha hotha na?”
“Test unkanahi..tere dimag ka karna hai…bhai bada dimag ka doctor bana phirta hai…auruski behen aisi.. duniya ka ilaj karne se pehle, usse tumhara dimag teekh karnachahiye… jaahil..anpadh aurat”
Just thenLalith’s phone rang…..
“Hello..kaisehai saale sahab..sab Kushal mangal?…kal apko mere liye waqt nikalna padega..chaar baje hamare chachaji ke ghar jaana hai… chachaji aapse milna chahtehai…sab teekh hua toh shehnai bajegi..haan… “ Lalit laughed and gave some otherdetails.. and also sent a subtle message across that he was his jeeja…he hadpower over him.
Lalitlooked carelessly at Leela’s direction once the call was over.
“Aap Ashuki shaadi kisse karva rahein hai? You know he is not ready…. Aapko usse poochnachahiye tha..”
“Yeh sabtum mujhe sikhaogi? … Yograj Verma..or Sharma jo bhi tha..usne toh tumbhai-behen ko bahut samman diya na… Tum logo ki aukaat dekhkar apni ladki denese saaf inkaar kar diya na… maine tumse kaha tha ki tum unke ghar rishtha lekarmat jao..par tum toh apne bhai ki baaton mein aa gayi…tumhe beizzat aane meinbada maza aata hai … aur jab koi izzat deta hai toh tumhe who kaante ki tarahchubtha hai… Chachaji is considering Ashutosh for Mallika…and if everythinggoes well then they will get married..”
“Par Ashutoh Nidhi se pyaar karta hai”
“Pyaar…aise pyaar karne wale bahut dekhe hai maine apne career mein… gaya tha woh subregistrar ke office mein registered marriage ka application dene.. but the girl didn’t turn up on the dateallocated…my contacts told me that he kept calling her desperately but shedidn’t receive his calls… why do you think she did that? It is because familyis everything… pyaar vyaar kuch nahin hotha… It is time Ashutosh realized thatand abide by what his family wishes…that girl chose her family over him… auryeh uske pyaar mein devdas bana baitha hai… Good fortune has smiled on him now..heneeds to buck up.…good that the girl betrayed his trust…She is not a patch onMallika… My sister has everything.. education, status and beauty… I bet yourbrother hasn’t seen a woman like her even in London… If not for the arrangemarriage set up, a woman of Mallika’s standing wouldn’t have even looked athim, let alone talk to him… apni aukaat se bahar ki ladki mil rahi hai uski…sheis out of his league… and he better marry him… and once he gets married, I willtackle that Yograj Verma… kahin ka nahi chodoonga usse… I will ruin him… howdare he refuse to consider my brother in law’s proposal..how dare he insult mywife?... he deals in garments right? I will ensure that he doesn’t even haveclothes to hide his modesty…sadak pe lakar rakh doonga uske poore khandaan ko… “
Leelatrembled at his words… she knew that Ashutosh had asked Nidhi to elope with himbut she had refused stating that she can’t betray her father—someone whodedicated his entire life to him and didn’t remarry after her mother’s death,to ensure that she had a carefree childhood… Ashutosh didn’t pressurize her ashe knew that parent’s love is precious….but he couldn’t forget Nidhi even afterbreaking all contacts with her… And now Lalith was pressurizing him to meetMallika… Leela knew that he will comply with Lalith’s wishes for her sake…. Shejust wished that Mallika would say no to Ashutosh… Mallika was not the rightwoman for Ashu… agreed, he can’t spend his entire life pining for Nidhi..butthat doesn’t mean he marry an unsuitable girl… she doesn’t want her brother to compromiseon his happiness for her sake… Lalith will simply not let this alliance fallthrough..
Lalithmeanwhile was busy congratulating himself for his masterstroke… he had fearedlosing his foothold on his chacha’s family after Mallika’s wedding.. he wassure that Mallika’s husband- especially if he was politically astute one wouldcut him to size…If Mallika accepts Ashutosh then Lalith’s importance andinfluence would grow twofold. Ashutosh doesn’t like being mixed up in politics…that will leave him free to collaborate with Mallika.. collaborate and notsupplant… he was far too good a judge of people’s character to know thatMallika was a formidable woman who can’t be brushed off…She will be the face ofthe family in a decade or so—with her father’s support.. and what he can hopefor at best is a supporting role…but that also would be enough to bring in themoolah…
At midnight
“Ashutosh”
“Boliyedidi..itni raat ko kyun call kiya hai apne..kya hua?”
“Ashutosh…please call Lalit and tell him that you are not interested in this alliance… doit the first thing in the morning”
“Why didi?”
“Thisalliance isn’t right for you…you know it very well…you are entering into it toplease your jeejaji… Ashu please don’t spoil your life for my sake… yourjeejaji’s happiness will only be temporary..it won’t bring lasting happiness…it isn’t worth compromising your life for…I can manage his wrath… things can’tget much worse for me…please think about yourself.. I can’t be happy seeing yousuffer “
“Don’tthink too much didi…I am not making any sacrifice… I want to move on in life… Iwant to move on before Nidhi gets married to someone else…and what better wayto move up in life than to marry into an influential family”
“Ashu,please don’t do this to yourself.. take time and heal yourself… don’t see asilver lining where none exists..nothing fruitful will ever come out of gettinginto a relationship to exact revenge.. moreover I know you are not out forrevenge..you are just using the word to allay my concerns… Ashu I know you toowell to believe all the nonsense you are telling me…”
“I want toenhance my station in life… I am tired of this middle class existence didi… itis because of this that Yograj Verma didn’t give his daughter’s hand to me inmarriage…”
“Stopdeceiving yourself Ashutosh… You know that you will be nothing but a glorifiedslave to Mallika…nothing else… Give yourself some time Ashu ..you are alreadymaking a name for yourself in your field… you will be a name to reckon with ina few years…. You know how proud I felt when Mrs Shukla( the sister of the COSof Ashutosh’s hospital) told me that her brother regards you as the mostpromising surgeon in his hospital….you know that you are living my dreamAshutosh.. don’t play with your life”
“Acumencounts for nothing in this world didi…all that matters is influence andcontacts… without that I will get nowhere..”
“Don’t talklike that Ashutosh…you remember how a sadhu baba once told Dadi that you willrise to great heights… “
“Tum bhikya sadhu ki baaton mein aa gayi didi”
“You havegreat things destined for you Ashutosh.. if not then you wouldn’t have got thescholarship to go abroad”
“Scholarship?Jeejaji footed the miscellaneous expenses didn’t he?”
“He didn’tdo it for free… he got the plot in Lucknow in return didn’t he?”
“But theplot is in your name didi…”
“That isjust a ruse… I don’t really own it… can I dispose it of without his consent?”
“You areentitled to your share of paternal property… laws changed long ago didi..I gotthe house and you the plot”
“Stopacting Ashutosh…I am a lawyer’s wife…I have learnt enough through mereobservation… you can’t fool me..I am elder to you by eight years… you are notobliged to anyone.. leave Uttar Pradesh and lead your life the way you want…that is the greatest happiness you can give me..”
“Come ondidi.. you are thinking too much… Mallika is yet to say yes to me… plus she isan educated and beautiful woman… I think I can lead a good life with her”
“ She isBalwant Rai Trehan’s daughter… though you have spent a good deal of your timeoutside your home town, I think you have heard enough of him after your return”
“ Come ondidi..she educated… M.Tech in computer science..she is different from the restI am sure”
“I know youare too smart to believe that Ashu… if she was any different from her kin thenshe would be in Noida now..working in some company… and not taking care of herfather’s ill gotten empire…”
“Didi letme meet her first and decide …”
“As if youcan decide then…as if you can say no to her… seriously Ashu… you know my wholelife was destroyed by marrying into the Trehan family..why do you want tofollow suit…I was in no position to say no…Dadaji’s health was failing…hewanted to see me married before he died..so that he could die in peace... Iabided by his wishes and buried my dreams of higher education even aftersecuring an aggregate of 97% in 12 th boards…I scored a centum in Maths..Iloved it…but couldn’t pursue it because Dadaji prioritized my marriage overeducation..I don’t blame him..I know he loved me..and he was a product of histimes… he did his best to secure my future, knowing that we will have noguardian after his death..but what good did come out of it? I get humiliateddaily..jaahil..anpadh..ganwar.. What did I do to deserve it Ashutosh?...youknow my only consolation in life is that you are well educated..that youachieved your dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon… you are my prideAshutosh…please don’t get mixed up in this family.. their family might beprestigious but the people are petty…”
“Didi…history won’t repeat.. I am educated.. I am a man…”
“Gharjamaii ki haisiyat ek housewife se bhi kam hothi hai Ashutosh…meri haisiyatmere ghar mein kya hai tum jaante ho.. I am humiliated in front ofeverybody..servants, visitors, kids everyone… Lalith has got iphone for ourboys but I don’t have even a basic set.. that’s because he claims that I willuse it to message my imaginary lovers… the whole family treats their wives likeshit Ashu..”
“Come ondidi..I am sure Mallika will let me use a phone..I know it is a bad joke… butthere is a difference isn’t it… and your state will also improve once I marryinto the family..wouldn’t it?”
“Ashutosh..tryto understand…Mallika isn’t right for you… what is it you are after? Herbeauty? I will find an even more beautiful girl for you…”
“Didi..youknow that is not the case… why are you so worried….calm down…”
“Calm down?You are asking me to calm down when you are about to commit suicide… I can seeeverything Ashu.. the fan, the noose, the stool…everything.. all that remainsfor you is to fasten the contraption around your neck…and your jeejaji willsurely help you with that.”
“No one iscommitting suicide here.. I am in full possession of my senses…”
“Then whycan’t you see what I am seeing…Mallika will make your life miserable… she has asadistic trait..she is as bad as the men in her family..she is callous..I haveheard her speak..she doesn’t respect her own mother Ashutosh….She is as bad asothers it is just that she is born a woman…Maybe she is an untouched statephysically..and wouldn’t go hopping from bed to bed like the Trehan men..but isthat enough Ashu? What about your self respect? She will assault it daily.. youwill have to bear all that..Even her dad will look down on you..I know howcondescending they can be to anyone who isn’t flush with money.”
“Credit mewith some intelligence didi..I know what is right for both you and me..don’tworry about me..I can handle things…please cut the call.. you will be introuble if jeejaji wakes up and overhears you speaking ill of the family.. thelandline is right in the hall..he will find you easily if he gets up”
Ashutoshdidn’t sleep that night.. he knew every word Leela spoke was true… but he feltthat the best he can do in the situation was to marry Mallika..if she agreesthat is… Yograj Verma’s words had hurt him too deep…he now wanted to take thepath Lalith had laid out in front of him.. it was the path to self destruction…but he wanted to take it…and ignore all the red flags.. Leela didi’s situation might improve..and hiskids will also lead a good life…of course he can give them a nice life with hisearnings… but only Balwant Trehan can give them clout…That is important too..his father and grandfather led a very upright life… but what good came out ofit? Hired goons shot his father dead...his mother died in grief soonafterwards…his grandfather didn’t pursue the case as he knew that he was toosmall a fry to get justice, moreover he was scared of threats to Ashutosh’slife.. and then people knew that they were a family in distress…the public’spenchant for crushing the already downtrodden came to the fore… lecherous and leeringgoons threatened to kidnap Leela… They left Gorakhpur overnight for theirsafety.. Leela and Ashutosh lost a school year.. but that wasn’t so big a lossas what they would have faced if they continued to stay in Gorakhpur… Theirdadi’s relatives helped them settle in this town…. Both Leela and Ashutoshattended Navodaya Vidyalaya..away from their grandparents…things were lookingbright ..and then Dadaji’s health began to fail… their bua started gettingLeela alliances as a way of helping the troubled family… All were surprisedwhen the alliance with Lalith Trehan clicked.. The boy was from a good family…lookedgood...LLM…While some were envious of Leela’s luck, others pitched in to helpthe family cobble a modest dowry..Helping with dowry was ‘punya ka kaam’anyway.. The Trehan’s didn’t ask for a dowry explicitly....all they werelooking for was a nubile and good looking girl who knew her “sanskars”. Whather family didn’t know was all that the Trehans wanted was a slave… a coweringwoman who felt that heaven was at her inlaw’s feet…That’s why they opted for anorphan like her as a bahu. Ashutosh was just 10 when Leela got married… he wasso excited.. didi ki shaadi was exciting news for someone like him who hadnothing much in life to cheer about.. his foolish self didn’t know that thewedding also meant an end to the dreams his sister had for herself.. the wholeconcept of career was alien to him.. The men in his family behaved sensiblywith their womenfolk, so he didn’t fear for his sister’s future..what couldpossibly go wrong anyway?...his ten year old brain hadn’t seen enough of theworld then… His family kept its silence even as his sister’s used to hit Leela…Therewere times when she was denied food for the slightest of mistakes..Thank godfor Lata didi—the sister of whom the whole family was ashamed of—she waslabelled a r*t*r*d…surprisingly she was the only one with a heart in the rightplace…she would steal food from the kitchen for Leela and provide her withemotional support..and that too away from the prying eyes of theservants...that required smartness…so what was really wrong with Latadidi?...he could never find that out…she disappeared long before Ashutoshbecame a doctor.. the Trehans claimed that she was taken back by her husband’sfamily…he took that with a pinch of salt… anyway the physical torture by the in-lawsmercifully didn’t last for too long… Leela’s saas-sasur died in quicksuccession due to what Lalith termed asthe bad luck Leela brought along with her.. first for her parents and now his…he ignored conveniently the fact that his career flourished after his wedding…Fresh trouble erupted when Leela failed to conceive…while Lalith verballyabused his wife, he did not remarry.. Ashutosh assumed it to be because thecouple got themselves tested..Lalith was educated enough to seek medicalhelp..maybe the problem was with him…and then Leela gave birth to twin boysafter a full ten years of married life.. Thank God they were boys… Lalithgifted the new mama a gold chain..such was his happiness.. the situation wouldhave been really bad if the twins had been girls..after all Lalith was noBalwant Trehan..someone who saw merits in daughters…Leela’s life improved alittle after the birth of the boys..the humiliation got a little lesser.. butLalith’s suspicious nature had no cure..Lalith helped the siblings get theirshare of their great grandfather’s disputed property- a house and a plot ofland.. It wasn’t pure altruism.. but Lalith didn’t deny Ashutosh his fair shareof the inheritance..he helped him monetarily while he was a student…maybe theman had a teeny-weeny sense of justice in him, Ashutosh reasoned… Maybe thingswould improve for Leela after Ashutosh becomes Lalith’s jeeja too.. he knewthat he wouldn’t hold much influence as a jeeja.. but dil behlane ke liye acchabahana tha…….He had worn Lalith’s cast off shirts when he was a student…thewinter coats he wore in London were also courtesy him…granted they were in agood condition when given to him.…Marrying that man’s cousin suddenly seemedlike an upgrade. Ashutosh just couldn’t get rid of the low self esteem thepoverty he experienced in childhood instilled in him..
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Anupamaa
Dr Aarambhi
